Thursday, December 31, 2009

Good Bye 2009!

Well now it the time to say farewell to what has been a packed year of learning and friendship building for me personally - overall it has been an awesome year.

Here are some highlights of 2009 for me:

* In January I started going to my now home church and established a great group of friends. The first time in my life to go to church with so many people my own age. It's been cool to be a part of something from the beginning as I went to my home church the very first week it started in my city (it branched out from another).

* I also began doing my school placements in January which were tremendously eye opening for me as they were my first direct experiences working with people with various disabilities. At first I wasn't so sure I'd make it, but I stuck with it and found my niche and now couldn't imagine doing anything else!

* March gave Wally and I our 8th wedding anniversary.

* In the spring I learned that I have AB- blood and was a perfect candidate for plasma donation and I have since become a regular donor (at least when my body is well rested).

* In May I got my very first job that required essentially 3 interviews and was a real agency in the field of my choice.

* June marked our one year anniversary in Wrinkleville and the big city - we still weren't feeling an itch to move!

* In July I challenged myself to my '40 Things to try in 40 Days' which proved to be a wonderful adventure with lots of fun, growth and deepening of friendships.

* In August Wally and I went an our first summer vacation in the north and had the best time ever!

* In September I applied and was offered a 30 hour a week contract at my job, while also beginning my final placement and semester of school.

* October held the wedding of my sister in law Pumpkin to her now husband Gourd - wally and I had an absolute blast at the reception. (This was a first for us at a wedding).

* November marked a turning point at my job and a realization that I would not continue to build my career at that particular place of employment. (I experienced an incredibly traumatic few events one evening which I will write about soon).

* December was a month of relief. Wally and I both completed our programs - both of us making the Dean's List each semester we were there. Wally was offered a job before exams were even finished and my placement also offered me a job there, bringing me the gift of resigning from my contract.

If I were to sum up 2009 into one word I would have to say it is: RELATIONSHIPS. That is what I feel like the year has been all about. Establishing, growing, weeding out and the evolving of relationships with new and old friends alike. It has been incredibly cool to start this blog and feel connected to people near and far. To help actually made friends through strangers - what a gift.

My hope is that 2010 holds adventure, excitement, love, growth, healing and even more building of relationship in new and different ways.

Every year I look ahead and wonder what the year to come will look like. Will it be full of change? Will I be living where I am now? Will those closest to me still be alive and well? Will I still have my health? Will I have children in the coming year? Where will I travel to, if at all? Who will I laugh with and build fun memories with? What will those memories hold? How can I make this year even better than the last? That is a question I really wonder about. I honestly feel so blessed (sorry for the cliche) at the fact that I truly feel like I am living my life that I can't possibly have a better year than I just had. But I will because I am determined to live connected and open to seeing whatever God is up to.

At least that is my goal.

Happy New Year everyone!!

Live great this year.

Live great right now!

Love,
Eva :)